Marketing needs to keep up with tech

We are now familiar with the potential for technology to change the fundamental nature of financial services. AI-powered bots can automate customer service. Blockchain can make every decision transparent and based on comprehensive data. Products can be tailored to individual customer needs in real time.

But where does marketing sit in this mix? While some professions, like accounting, could lose out to technology, Mark Evans, marketing director of Direct Line Group, is confident about marketing’s ability to survive and thrive in a tech-enabled landscape.

Marketing is based on a deep understanding of human needs and an ability to connect on an emotional level. These core processes can’t – yet – be taken over by machines. But they can be amplified, accelerated and enhanced by them.

Evans cautions against jumping too quickly to take up every technological advancement as they emerge, but he is optimistic about the possibility of combining humanity and technology to create exciting new ways of connecting brands and consumers.